Like all medicines, lymecycline can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
Common side effects
These common side effects of lymecycline happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:
Feeling sick (nausea)
Try taking lymecycline with or after food to see if that helps ease your symptoms. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.
Stomach pain
Try to rest and relax. Putting a heat pad or covered hot water bottle on your stomach may also help. If you're in a lot of pain, speak to your pharmacist or doctor.
Diarrhoea
Drink plenty of water or other fluids to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.
If you're taking contraceptive pills and have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet to find out what to do.
Headaches
Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. It's also best not to drink too much alcohol. Painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are safe to take with lymecycline.
Keep taking the medicine, but tell your doctor if the side effects bother you or do not go away.
Serious side effects
Serious side effects are rare, but stop taking lymecycline and call a doctor or call 111 now if:
- you have dark pee, the whites of your eyes turn yellow or your skin turns yellow (this may be less obvious on brown or black skin) – this can be a sign of liver problems
- your skin becomes very sensitive to the sun
Serious allergic reaction
In rare cases, lymecycline may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
Immediate action required: Call 999 now if:
- your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
- your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
- your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- someone faints and cannot be woken up
- a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
Other side effects
These are not all the side effects of lymecycline. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.